CHAPTER SIX
The next morning Jeffery woke up with one thing in mind which is to get Jane to like him and go out on a date with him.
It's been a long time he felt this way about a woman. And he doesn't know if he should embrace the feeling or run from it. So the only way to decide was to get Jane to date him.
He once had a beautiful relationship with the love of his life or that's what he thought she was to him until he found out she was cheating on him. That period was one of the darkest moments of his life, because he really loved and wanted to marry her. Anytime he remembers the incidence, it's always like a fresh wound was opened up.
He snapped himself out of it quickly enough before it ruined his beautiful morning. He said a word of prayer to God and committed his day and plans to get Jane to him.
He might not be the churchy type but he definitely never took the place of God in his life for granted.
He pulled on his gym clothes and decided to hit the gym, he loved keeping fit and exercise always helped him to clear his head.
When he got the gym he decided to start with the punching bag, he needed to let off some steam.
He needed something to get his mind off Jane. Why wouldn't she even look at him? Everytime he came closer she just withdraws further into her shell.
When he asked her last night after the movie, why she was avoiding him, she denied it but he could sense she likes him too. So why was she acting indifferent towards him? The more he thinks about it the harder he punched the bag.
Thirty minutes later he was sweaty from hitting the punching bag and his knuckles were sore, he decided to step on the treadmill. Then he saw his two friends Dele and Micheal with their arms folded, staring at him.
''Guy who offended you that you decided to take it out on the punching bag like that?'' Dele asked.
Jeffery and Dele go way back to their secondary school days, they have been friends since they were in tenth grade. Their friendship brought their two families together and when Dele's parents died in a plane crash, Jeffery's parent's took him and his younger sister in to start to living with them since then they have become family.
While they both met Micheal in the university and now he was married to Dele's younger sister. Jeffery saw them more like family than friends.
''How do you mean?'' Jefferry asked as he took off his headset which was blaring rather too loudly.
''We have been standing here, close to five minutes and watched the intensity you punched the bag with, that's some built up shit you are venting out on the bag''.
Micheal told him as they walked to the treadmills. They each stepped on a treadmill and started to exercise.
''Are you okay man? You look like you have got something on your mind''. Dele asked.
''I'm fine'' Jeffery replied as he increased the pace of his treadmill, he really liked the fact that they looked out for him but he wasn't about to let know he was having feelings for a girl he just met and to make matters worse she wasn't looking his way rather she keeps avoiding him like he was a plague. The reason for this he can't really fathom and he was going to find out.
''How is Anita?'' he directed to Micheal, Anita his wife is pregnant with their first child and she has been so overbearing since.
Micheal once threatened to leave the house and return after she had to put birth, she threatened to declare him missing to the press and then tell their child his father is dead. Ever since then Micheal never brought up the issue again, he has learned to live with his fate.
''She is fine, can't wait for her to put to birth so I can breathe freely'' Micheal replied as he stepped out of the treadmill to pick up a weight. He was joined by Micheal and Jeffery.
''Do you know she told me I was breathing too loudly last night,while we were watching a movie?"
Dele and Jeffery both burst into laughter.
''And when I told her same goes for her she started crying and told me how insensitive I was that she was carrying our baby''.
''You sef nor try, how can you say such to a pregnant woman?'' asked Jeffery.
''Easy for you to say, you are not the one who is being told to control his breathing or to go in search of burnt party jollof rice in the middle of the night''.
''No way, tell me she didn't make you do that'' Dele asked in-between laughs.
''Oh yes she did, she has gone as far as going to a wedding she wasn't invited to, just so she can eat party jollof rice. The annoying part was that she made me go with her''
Dele and Jeffery where laughing uncontrollably, they both knew their sister has always been a drama queen but not to this extent.
''Did you go with her?'' asked Dele.
''Did I have a choice? Of course I did. When refreshments were served, we were served jollof rice, then she saw a man who shared a table with us was served moi moi, she called the server and asked for moi moi too and when she was told moi moi was finished. Can you believe she started crying?''
''Noooo'' Jeffery said laughing so hard he had to hold his abdomen, Dele fell off the exercise bench he was sitting on, still laughing.
''I'm glad you both find it funny, because it wasn't for me as she went further to ask the man if they could exchange their meals''.
''Please stop before you kill us with laughter'' Dele said as he started to lift a weight.
''Don't worry bro, this will be over soon'' Jeffery told him.
Jeffery had similar experience with his elder sister when she was pregnant with Jonathan. She always demanded for hideous things, Jeffery always made sure to avoid her whenever she had her mood swings. Just like he has been avoiding Anita.
When they were done exercising they walked to the car park where they packed their cars.
''Guy how far hope you are still showing up for the party tonight?'' Dele asked Jeffery.
''uhm…. about that, I think I would have to cancel I have some stuff to attend to''. Jeffery replies as he opens his car trunk and threw his gym bag in it.
''Again? This is the second time you are canceling'' Dele said clearly concerned for his friend turned brother.
''Yes, guy you have been acting quite off'' Micheal added.
''I'm fine guys, I just have some personal stuff to attend to that's all''.
His friends didn't look like convinced but they didn't pursue the issue any further.
They stepped into their cars and drove off. He has been avoiding the parties because whenever he attended them; girls always tried to seduce him and he can't seem to picture himself with another girl aside Jane right now.
At midday Jeffery decided to visit his parents, his mum had been nagging lately of not visiting them. He needed some investment advice from his father. The old man who was once the deputy governor of Lagos state, was also a successful business man in his time and still is. Even after his retirement he still has chains of businesses he manages.
When he got to his parents' house their cook Mr Akpan was setting up the dinning table for lunch.
''Small oga welcome, it's been a while o'' Mr Akpan said smiling. He has been their cook since Jeffery was a teenager and he is more like a family to them than an employee.. Even when his father became the deputy governor, Mr Akpan went with them to the government house.
''Good afternoon mr Akpan, how are you doing?''
''I'm fine o small oga, we have really missed you o''.
''I have missed you guys too, where is mum and dad?''
''They will be down soon, once I'm done setting the table I will go call them''.
''Alright, but don't tell them I'm around I want to surprise them''
''Alright small oga, let me get an extra plate for you then I will go and call them''.
Few minutes later his parents came downstairs and were surprised to see him seated at the dinning table.
''look who we have here'' his mother said with so much joy.
She is a beautiful fair skinned, plus sized woman with an average height, her eyes are brown, the only feature Jeffrey took from her. she never fails to tell Jeffery how she was sick throughout her nine months of pregnancy only for him to come out looking like his father. There is never a dull moment with her, she is always fun to be with.
''My baby boy is home'' she exclaimed with so much glee as she embraced him.
''Come on mum you have to stop calling me that''
''Oh come off it, you are still my baby no matter how old you are'' she said waving him off.
''Welcome home son'' his father said as he got off the stairs and gave Jeffery a pat on the back.
''Thanks dad, you look great!'' he exclaimed as they took their seat at the dinning table.
''Thanks to your mother, she has been taking good care of me''
''Oh so now you know I have been taking good care of you, but you never fail to tell me how well I'm not treating you'' his mother teased him.
''There you go again Runke, you know I always pay you compliments, you just don't listen to them''.
''when last did you pay me a compliment?''
''Just now''
''What of before now?''
Jeffery knew he had to intervene, knowing his parents they can continue for the next hour and not stop. He wasn't about to allow this sumptious meal before him go cold.
''Okay you both, we need to eat if you guys are not hungry I am'' he said with a teasing tone.
''Yes let's eat, Runke please pray for the meal''.
Jeffery grew up in a religious home, his parents thought him all about God and how to be a good christian at a point his mother was convinced he was going to become a pastor but all that changed when he got into the university.
His mother never stops blaming herself for allowing him to school in the U.S, she feels the evironment had something to do with his not being serious with church activities anymore but Jeffery and his father thought otherwise.
When his mum was done praying, she served the meal which was fresh fish pepper soup and yam. One of Jeffery's favourite.
''So Jeffery what have you been up to lately? I read in the papers you are opening your Estate in Ajah soon." his father said.
''Yes dad the Estate will be opened soon''.
''Good one son''.
''You two stop already, enough of the business talk. Jeffery when are you going to introduce us to your better half?''. His mother asked him.
''Mom, not again I told you already, I will get married when the time is right''.
Jeffery wasn't happy with the direction the conversation was taking, this was the reason he was avoiding paying a visit to his parents.
''But you know your mother is right, you are not getting any younger, you need to settle down and start a family''.
''Not you too dad, you used to be on my side?''
''I'm not on anyone's side I'm just saying it as it is''.
''Well as it is I have to be on my way''.
This statement made his mother look sad, she hasn't seen him for over a month now he finally stops over she is chasing him away with the issue of marriage.
"I'm sorry, please don't leave because of what I said, I promise not to bring it up again''
Well that's what she says all the time but she usually ends up bringing up the issue again.
''No mum, I'm not leaving because of that, I have a meeting to attend in thirty minutes, I just decided to drop by and see you both''.
Actually he was hoping to cancel that meeting, but now he would rather attend a meeting with a bunch of people he clearly doesn't like rather than sit through series of lectures with his parents on why he should go get married.